Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Al-Zawahiri also denied a conspiracy theory

Al-Zawahiri also denied a conspiracy theory that Israel carried out the September 11, 2001, attacks on the U.S., and he blamed Iran and Shiite Hezbollah for spreading the idea to discredit the Sunni al Qaeda's achievement.

Al-Zawahiri accused Hezbollah's al-Manar television of starting the rumor.

"The purpose of this lie is clear -- (to suggest) that there are no heroes among the Sunnis who can hurt America as no else did in history. Iranian media snapped up this lie and repeated it," he said.

"Iran's aim here is also clear -- to cover up its involvement with America in invading the homes of Muslims in Afghanistan and Iraq," he added.

Iran cooperated with the United States in the 2001 U.S. assault on Afghanistan that toppled the Taliban, an al Qaeda ally.

The comments reflected al-Zawahiri's increasing criticism of Iran, which al-Zawahiri has accused in recent messages of seeking to extend its power in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq and through its Hezbollah allies in Lebanon. Until recent months, he had not often mentioned the Islamic republic.

HAMASOver the past year, Zawahiri and other senior al-Qa'ida figures have beenwaging a vigorous propaganda campaign against the Palestinian organizationHAMAS. Although Jihadists unanimously denounce Israel they continue todisagree over whether HAMAS should be considered a legitimate Islamicmovement. For Zawahiri, HAMAS' embrace of nationalism, democracy, and itslegacy in the Muslim Brotherhood--arguably the three things al-Qa'ida hatesmost--delegitimizes the group.